Brussels: Atomium Entry Ticket with Design Museum Ticket
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Brussels is a city best explored on foot, and choosing a hotel in the historic centre means having the Grand Place, the Manneken Pis, the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert and the Cathedral of St Michael just minutes from your hotel entrance. Brussels’ centre is compact and walkable: from nearly all the hotels in this selection you can reach the main attractions of the lower town on foot, whilst the metro network — with De Brouckère, Gare Centrale, Bourse and Sainte-Catherine stations — allows you to move quickly towards the European quarter, the Sablon and the Cinquantenaire.
The properties that follow cover a broad range of needs and budgets, from grand historic Art Deco hotels to international chains with panoramic rooftops, from designer boutique hotels to practical ibis properties with a location few others can match. All are located in the heart of Brussels, less than 15 minutes’ walk from the Grand Place, and served by Brussels metro. For those arriving by car, it’s worth knowing that most of the centre is in a LEZ (Low Emission Zone) and requires advance vehicle registration.
The Bedford Hotel & Congress Centre on Rue du Midi 135 is one of the most comprehensive properties in central Brussels. With 286 rooms, a 1,500 sqm congress centre, a gym with jacuzzi, Magellan restaurant and the rooftop bar The Eight, it offers everything you could want in a single property. Rooms with marble bathrooms and baths are larger than expected for the area, and those on upper floors with balconies offer views over the city rooftops that alone make the stay worthwhile.
The Grand Place is less than five minutes’ walk away, the Manneken Pis is literally round the corner at 200 metres, and Anneessens metro station is steps away. The American buffet breakfast is generous and varied, whilst the adjacent private car park removes any concerns for those arriving by car. We recommend it to families, groups and business travellers seeking a property with comprehensive facilities without compromising on an excellent location.
Staying at the Warwick Grand-Place Brussels on Rue Duquesnoy 5 means stepping out of the hotel and reaching the Grand Place in two minutes. This 4-star with 267 rooms convinced us with the quality of the beds, marble bathrooms with spa baths and fast Wi-Fi, but most of all for the Chutney’s restaurant with a terrace overlooking a charming cobbled pedestrianised street where we were happy to linger into the evening. The piano bar with leather sofas is another excellent reason to return before sunset.
The air conditioning system has been completely renovated recently, a detail you notice in the rooms. Gare Centrale station is less than 300 metres away. An honest note: breakfast is not included and the price is considered high — it’s worth checking options at neighbourhood cafés. The Warwick remains our preferred choice for couples who want to wake up literally in the medieval heart of Brussels.
The Craves Hotel on Rue du Marché aux Poulets 32 is a discovery: a boutique hotel selected by the Michelin Guide on a pedestrianised street 300 metres from the Grand Place, with an aesthetic we didn’t expect. The 75 rooms play everything on floral wallpaper, velvet, marble and petrol blue in Art Deco boudoir style — an intimate and enveloping atmosphere you don’t easily find in Brussels. The Le Conteur restaurant offers cuisine with Middle Eastern influences in equally curated surroundings, whilst in the evening the Scène bar — a genuine speakeasy cocktail bar hidden within the hotel — is one of the most interesting places we’ve had a drink in the city.
Place Sainte-Catherine is four minutes’ walk away, Bourse metro is quickly accessible. One thing to know before booking: some rooms are located in an adjacent building without a lift, so it’s worth specifying this when reserving. We recommend it to creative travellers and couples seeking an original experience, away from the anonymous aesthetics of chain hotels.
The ibis Brussels City Centre on Rue Joseph Plateau 2 — the former ibis Sainte-Catherine — surprised us more than we’d expect from a budget property. Sainte-Catherine metro is 100 metres away, the Grand Place is reachable in a ten-minute walk through one of the most authentic quarters of the centre, the former fish market area now full of bistros and bars where locals actually go. The 236 rooms with Sweet Beds are compact but well-maintained and clean, and the staff was among the most helpful we encountered in the city — even capable of acting as an impromptu guide with map in hand. The lobby with table football and relaxation area is a detail you appreciate in the evening after a long day.
The buffet breakfast is among the best of the chain we encountered in Belgium. A practical note: not all floors have lift access, so if you have heavy luggage it’s worth mentioning at booking. It’s the right choice for those wanting to stay in a lively, well-connected neighbourhood whilst spending less than properties on the Grand Place.
For location, the ibis Brussels off Grand Place on Rue du Marché aux Herbes 100 is hard to beat at this price level: 150 metres from the Grand Place, 200 metres from Gare Centrale station, 100 metres from the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. When we stepped out the first morning we found ourselves in the middle of the historic centre before we’d even finished our coffee. The 184 rooms are standard ibis — compact, functional, with Sweet Beds and air conditioning — without major surprises, either good or bad.
The buffet breakfast with fresh Belgian waffles every morning is a local touch we appreciated, and the bar with a selection of Belgian beers is a pleasant evening alternative. Rooms on the street side at weekends can be noisy: it’s better to request a higher floor or an interior view. For those wanting to explore Brussels on foot with no compromise on location, this is our top budget choice.
The NH Collection Brussels Centre is housed in an Art Deco building from 1921 that has retained the original monumental staircase, double-height ceilings and period façade: stepping in from the street you immediately sense you’re somewhere with history. The 241 rooms, renovated with parquet flooring, Nespresso machines and quality mattresses, are among the most comfortable we found in this range in central Brussels.
But the moment we most remember is breakfast time: the buffet breakfast is served on the ninth floor, with Brussels’ skyline all around, and in summer the open terrace makes it even more memorable. The Le Rossini restaurant at the lobby offers seasonal French dishes with local produce. De Brouckère metro is 300 metres away, the Grand Place five minutes’ walk, and Rue Neuve — the main shopping street — runs parallel to the hotel. We recommend it to those seeking quality, history and a city view difficult to forget.
On Boulevard Adolphe Max, two tram stops from the Grand Place, the Hotel Le Plaza Brussels is one of those places you recognise before you even enter: stone façade, beautiful façades like those from 1930 when it opened, and a sign that tells ninety years of Belgian hospitality history. It’s one of the few independent grand hotels remaining in Belgium, and you feel it. The historic internal theatre with Moorish inspiration — today a banqueting and conference room — is a protected heritage site of the capital that alone is worth a visit. Brasserie Estéré restaurant with its painted cupola, Murano glass chandeliers and marble tables is the place to have breakfast without hurrying.
De Brouckère metro station is 300 metres away, Rogier three minutes, and Rue Neuve is opposite the entrance. An honest note: some common areas could benefit from an update, but the overall historic charm far outweighs any minor imperfections. Ideal for those wanting to experience Brussels in an authentic historic setting, away from the anonymity of international chains.
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